Crowning strip for expansion joints



June 15 1926. 1,588,717

A. c. FISCHER CROWNING STRIP FOR EXPANSION JOINTS Filed Oct. 19, 1925 Patented June 15, 1926.

- UNITED STATES ALBERT C. FISCHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CROWNING STRIP FOR EXPANSION JOINTS.

Application filed October 19, 1925 Serial No. 63,360.

This is in part a continuing application of my a] )plication Serial No. 569,247, filed June 19, 1922, container form for expansion joint and method of installing same.

Crowning strips heretofore have been made of metal for the purpose of holding plates in position, or for the purpose of acting as a covering to prevent ingress of foreign material into openings thus protected which are later to be filled, and are therefore, a removable part of the contrivance.

My invention relates primarily to reinforcing a moulding strip, which may be of any rigid material, such as, wood and preformed expansion joint, heavy flax strips, or flexible cellular joints adapted to strips, functioning as a moulding board or spacing board, which may be either removed from the crevice or may be allowed to remain permanently in the crevice, in which case the crowning strip would be removed. The function of the crowning strip being primarily to reinforce the moulding strip or expansion joint at the crown,-and keep it in a straight line and thus aid as a supporting means until the concrete is laid about the expansion joint or moulding strip, holding it in a straight line, thus preventing it from forming a wavy condition, and permitting the installation of an expansion joint in a straight line, rather than a wavy line which might otherwise take place.

Where this strip is utilized in this manner it would not be necessary to provide an envelope. A moulding strip may be out of any material, and when out of material which would be adapted as an expansion joint, especially in hot weather, such strips are very often wavy, and by utilizing the cap, as described, over the crown of the moulding strip it not only protects the edges of the moulding strip but also enables the moulding strip to be reinforced at the crown, thus straightening that part of the joint coming to the surface of the concrete, and also protecting the joint or moulding strip from injury. This material may be formed out of wood, metal, band-iron, heavy saturated paper, or any suitable material. It may be furnished at the plant or may be shipped to the job with the moulding strips, or when formed in different manner may be inserted in the crown.

My invention may best be understood by referring to Figure 1, which illustrates a crowning strip, as described, a representing the top portion of the crowning strip and b, b the downwardly extending portions of the crowning strip.

igure 2 illustrates this crowning strip formed out of metal with a as the top portion of the crowning strip and b, b as the depending portions of the crowning strip.

Figure 3 describes a crowning strip in which a, a is the top portion, 6, b the depending side portions anti b, b a depending center portion. Figure 4 illustrates these crowning strips in position when used in combination with the n'ioulding strip or expansion strip in right form.

It can be readily understood that in heat a moulding strip might readily warp, and in being thrown around, as occurs on highways, it can readily be deformed. The application of the metal crowning strip would prevent this deformation, at least as far as the crown is concerned, and enable one to make a straight line installation by pouring the concrete d, d on either side of the moulding strip 0 and it then only a mat ter of a few moments, after the setting of the concrete, to remove the crowning cap a with the depending flange 11, 6, thus leaving the moulding strip snugly, in position between the concrete slabs.

Figure 5 illustrates a moulding strip, rigid in form, adapted to be left in position between the concrete slabs d, d and having its crown reinforced with a crowning strip a, a with a depending penetration groove 1) by soaping the underside of this crowning strip when forcing the same into the crown,

it can readily be removed after installation, but a suitable device can be inserted in the groove 1) pressing the crown of the moulding strip apart, leaving it in condition as shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 6' the crowning strip has been removed after depressing the moulding strip 0 and allowing same to remain between the concrete slabs d, d. This depression has been caused by a suitable device inserted in the groove b pressing the crown of the moulding strip apart.

It can readily be understood that the thickness of the material used as a crowning strip may be modified to adapt the crowning strip for the various purposes described, and where it is the purpose to employ as a moulding strip a rigid wood filler and heavy type would have to be employed, as in Figure 1,

while if the moulding strip was prepared from bituminous compressible material, which would be permitted to remain in the concrete, a crowning strip such as shown in Figure 2, would be utilized for the purpose of straightening the material and holding it in shape while the concrete is being poured. A still lighter material may be employed when utilized as in Figure 3.

These strips may be formed by any suitable machinery adapted for that purpose. The installations are made by placing the crowning strip on the moulding strip or separating strip, and then staking the separating strip in position, either against a suitable backing board or by driving the stakes directly against the sides of the moulding or separating strip.

I claim 1. In combination, a preformed expansion joint, comprising a strip of compressible material, and a reinforcing crown fitting over the edge of the strip and having depending portions extending over the sides of the strip.

2. A crowning strip having fiat upper portions and depending outer side portions, with 9. depending grooved center portion, the side walls thereof being placed in contacting relation.

3. A metal crown for the edge of a bituminous expansion joint, comprising a metal strip longitudinally folded upon itself to provide a downwardly depending center rib, and a fiat top portion at right angles to said rib, said rib adapted to be imbedded in the material of the joint with the fiat top portion overlying the edge of the joint sub stantially as/and for the purpose described.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 13 day of October 1925.

ALBERT C. FISCHER. 

